Jomills H. Braddock II, University of Miami View Introductory Video Dr. Jomills H. Braddock II has devoted his academic career to advancing public understanding and social policy related to equity and equality in education. His pioneering research on the long-term implications of desegregated schooling has provided a broad rationale for school desegregation in policy and legal contexts. His interest in equity has also extended to the sociology of sport and its intersections with race, education, and gender. Dr. Braddock is the founding Director of the Center for Research on Sport in Society and has examined institutional discrimination in professional football and the implications of Title IX for gender equality in sports. He also served as the Director of the Center for Research on Effective Schooling for Disadvantaged Students. Dr. Braddock’s groundbreaking work has significantly advanced public understanding of equity issues associated with race, ethnicity, and gender.
Jinfa Cai, University of Delaware View Introductory Video Dr. Jinfa Cai has made exceptional contributions to the field of mathematics education. His cross-national studies investigate how students in the United States and China approach mathematics in their respective learning environments, allowing for comparative analyses that transcend typical international achievement comparisons. Dr. Cai broke new ground in curriculum research with his work on the longitudinal Lie-Cal project, which compared the effects of two styles of algebra curricula on students’ learning beyond the grades in which it was used. He has served as a Program Director for the National Science Foundation and was Co-Chair of AERA’s Special Interest Group in Mathematics Education. He is currently editing the First Compendium of Research in Mathematics Education and is Editor Designate for the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education.
Mitchell James Chang, University of California, Los Angeles View Introductory Video Dr. Mitchell James Chang is a scholar of national prominence on issues related to diversity in higher education and its impact on students, faculty, and college campuses. His cutting-edge research on ethnicity, gender, and class draws from different disciplines in the social sciences and embodies the intersection of theory and practice. Dr. Chang’s research on the use of race in college admissions provides empirical evidence that has informed several affirmative action court cases, including at the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a prolific scholar whose publications consistently appear in the field’s top journals, and he serves on several influential journal editorial boards. Dr. Chang’s important work has significantly advanced our understanding of the efficacy of diversity-related initiatives, with the goal of improving student outcomes and democratizing institutions of higher learning.
Clark A. Chinn, Rutgers University View Introductory Video Dr. Clark A. Chinn is one of the preeminent scholars in science education research, exploring instructional methods to promote better thinking and reasoning among students. He is an internationally recognized thought leader on the issues of conceptual change, argumentation research, and microgenetic methods, and the study of epistemic cognition and practices. In particular, Dr. Chinn’s article “The Role of Anomalous Data in Knowledge Acquisition,” published in the Review of Educational Research, was a seminal contribution to the field of science education. His innovative work funded by the National Science Foundation has focused on developing curricula to promote reasoning in middle school science classes and conducting detailed empirical research on how students learn. Dr. Chinn is also known for mentoring authors through his editorship of the top-ranked journal Educational Psychologist.
Donald L. Compton, Florida State University View Introductory Video Dr. Donald L. Compton is a leading expert on cognitive and instructional factors that affect theory and practice in the field of reading development in children. He is highly experienced in designing, managing, analyzing, and disseminating data from ambitious studies on reading disability. His research models individual differences in the development of children’s reading skills and evaluates academic interventions to identify and treat children with reading disabilities. Dr. Compton’s work has improved early identification for students at risk of developing reading disabilities and contributed groundbreaking knowledge about late-emerging reading disabilities. His scholarship has also improved approaches to evaluating literacy instruction. He has served on editorial boards of several prominent journals and has had wide-ranging, international impact through his leadership roles in the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading.
Christian J. Faltis, University of California, Davis View Introductory Video Dr. Christian J. Faltis is one of the nation’s pioneering scholars on bilingualism and teacher education for linguistic minorities. For the past three decades, he has published widely on the issues of language use and language pedagogy for mainstream teachers and the needs of emergent bilingual learners. He was co-editor of AERA’s Review of Research in Education and is editor of the Teacher Education Quarterly. He has authored 19 books and more than 80 scholarly articles in this field. Dr. Faltis’s early book Joinfostering was one of the most successful publications on bilingual learning for elementary school teachers, and he later published the first series of works on bilingual education for secondary school teachers. He is a recipient of the AERA Scholars of Color Distinguished Scholar Award and has served as a Senior Fulbright Scholar.
Eugene E. García, Arizona State University View Introductory Video Dr. Eugene E. García is one of the foremost researchers and policy leaders on issues of English language learners and bilingual students, particularly for Latino and Hispanic populations. His early studies demonstrated that bilingualism was not a linguistic or cognitive disadvantage, and his subsequent work developed evidence to bolster this initial finding. Dr. García has explored and advocated for schooling interventions that benefit bilingual populations while serving in numerous leadership and administrative positions in higher education and government, including as Director of the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs for the White House. His scholarship and synthesizing of data have also contributed significantly to public discourse and federal policies surrounding work on early childhood development over the past 25 years.
Judith M. Harackiewicz, University of Wisconsin, Madison View Introductory Video Dr. Judith M. Harackiewicz is a prolific scholar at the forefront of experimental work on achievement motivation, addressing a range of topics from intrinsic motivation to Achievement Goal Theory and student interest. She led groundbreaking longitudinal studies on the relationship between achievement goals and student learning outcomes at the college level, and on the social-psychological factors contributing to the development of interest in education. Her recent fieldwork has developed and tested innovative value interventions focused on teaching the utility of STEM classes to college and high school students. Her study funded by the National Science Foundation and published in Psychological Science helped parents better understand potential STEM-related jobs and resulted in an increase in STEM course-taking among secondary students.
Gary T. Henry, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College View Introductory Video Dr. Gary T. Henry is a leading evaluation theorist who has advanced our understanding of some of the most pressing issues in educational equity, providing evidence for both policy and programs. His research has focused on issues affecting the teacher labor force, including recruitment, retention, and preparation, and their effects on student achievement. As director of the Carolina Institute for Public Policy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, he led groundbreaking efforts to create a longitudinal data system for the state that has served as a national model for linking student test scores to broader characteristics of students, teachers, and schools. In addition, Dr. Henry’s innovative evaluation research has incorporated teacher quality into assessments of school and student equity and explored ways to improve efforts to prepare and retain new teachers.
Carolyn D. Herrington, Florida State University View Introductory Video Dr. Carolyn D. Herrington is one of the most prominent voices on the politics and policy of education reform efforts, focusing her research on state legislatures, state governance structures, and state constitutions. She has tracked educational accountability as a reform strategy over four decades at the state and federal levels and analyzed the complex decision-making processes and political pressures affecting state policy makers. Over her career she has also helped develop and evaluate policies for coordinated and integrated social services to remove barriers to success for students from low-income families. Her work in Florida (in her role as Director of the Center on Educational Policy at Florida State University), across the country, and internationally is characterized by its accessibility and relevance to policy makers. Dr. Herrington is the editor of Educational Researcher.
Heather C. Hill, Harvard University View Introductory Video Dr. Heather C. Hill is a prolific and influential scholar in a range of disciplines related to mathematics teaching and learning, including teacher professional development and policy implementation. She has developed and validated two tools to measure teacher knowledge and classroom practice in mathematics that are now widely used by other scholars and practitioners. The Mathematics Knowledge for Teaching survey provided empirical evidence that specialized subject-matter knowledge is linked to the quality of teachers’ instruction and to student achievement gains. The Mathematics Quality of Instruction tool has helped to develop effective observational methods to fairly measure classroom practice and teacher effectiveness. Dr. Hill has also conducted innovative research for improving teacher learning and professional development opportunities to foster ambitious classroom instruction and create impact at scale.
Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver, Indiana University View Introductory Video Dr. Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver is recognized internationally for her remarkable contributions to problem-based learning, specifically in science education and technology. Her research has focused on understanding and supporting students’ learning of complex content and examining how teachers facilitate complex learning, including the tools, resources, and environments necessary for collaborative knowledge construction. Dr. Hmelo-Silver brings a unique and innovative perspective to her work by blending her background in medicine and medical education with her knowledge of collaborative learning and instructional technology. She has shown prominent leadership in the field, including as President of the International Society of the Learning Sciences, editor of the International Handbook of Collaborative Learning, and co-editor of the prestigious Journal of the Learning Sciences.
Stafford Hood, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign View Introductory Video Dr. Stafford Hood has been a leader in the field of culturally responsive assessment and evaluation for diverse and marginalized communities for the past 40 years. As Founding Director of the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment and Co-Founder of the Relevance of Assessment and Culture in Evaluation conference, he has spearheaded efforts to move equity to the center of evaluation considerations. Dr. Hood was the lead author of the Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation, which is known for mentoring several new generations of evaluation researchers. He has also worked as a program evaluation and testing consultant for governments, school districts, universities, and foundations. Domestically he has led efforts to reclaim the history of African American scholars, and internationally he has highlighted global inclusion for indigenous scholars.
K. Tsianina Lomawaima, Arizona State University View Introductory Video Dr. K. Tsianina Lomawaima has devoted her academic career to the study of American Indian education policy and practice. She has explored important issues such as the connections between federal supremacy over Native American affairs, tribal sovereignty, and complex forms of multiple citizenship. Her professional leadership and mentorship are embodied in her creation of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association, which includes an international annual conference and a prestigious journal, Native American and Indigenous Studies. Her current work extends to historic experiences at federal Indian boarding schools, articulation of a safety zone theory of accepted forms of cultural difference in federal policy, and analysis of historic and contemporary colonial policy regimes on native populations. Her work consistently reveals the resiliency and diversity of Native experiences with colonial schooling and federal policy.
Martha May McCarthy, Loyola Marymount University View Introductory Video Dr. Martha May McCarthy has made outstanding contributions to the field of educational administration in the areas of school law, policy and politics, and administrator preparation. Her research into education law has followed evolving legal concerns in the field over the past 40 years, ranging from student assessment to cyber-bullying, to school vouchers, and has provided practitioners with critical guidance on complex legal issues. Dr. McCarthy founded the Indiana Education Policy Center and helped create a national network of state policy centers around the country. She has traced long-term trends in the field of educational administration and leadership preparation programs, as well as conducting foundational research on the educational leadership professoriate. Her influence is widespread, including serving on fourteen editorial boards of top journals and mentoring colleagues, co-authors, and students.
H. Richard Milner IV, University of Pittsburgh View Introductory Video Dr. H. Richard Milner has significantly advanced our understanding of urban education and teacher education related to diversity and equity. His Theory Into Practice project examines how teachers’ thinking and beliefs influence students’ opportunities to learn, and particularly how teachers’ cultural knowledge contributes to their consideration of students’ diverse experiences when constructing and enacting lessons. Dr. Milner has used empirical studies to propose sets of principles for teaching in urban classrooms and to develop tools to assist teachers and researchers in addressing issues of race and culture. He has also investigated the influence of poverty and race on students’ school experiences and outcomes. He is a leader in the scholarly treatment of urban education, advancing the field as editor of the journal Urban Education and co-editor of the Handbook on Urban Education.
Darcia F. Narvaez, University of Notre Dame View Introductory Video Dr. Darcia F. Narvaez is a leader in the field of moral psychology and education. She has examined influences on children’s thinking and behavior through social, emotional, cognitive, and biological perspectives and has provided a theoretical framework for the field with international reach. Her innovative empirical work has demonstrated the efficacy of a cognitive sciences approach to moral development. Dr. Narvaez is the editor of the Journal of Moral Education, the leading journal in moral development; a co-editor of the influential Handbook of Moral and Character Education; and the author of the award-winning book Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality. She has made the field of moral psychology and education accessible to broader audiences through her prolific blog “Moral Landscapes,” for Psychology Today, and by organizing interdisciplinary symposia for education scholars and the public.
Na’ilah Suad Nasir, University of California, Berkeley View Introductory Video Dr. Na’ilah Suad Nasir is a pioneer in conceptualizing and studying learning, cognition, and identity development as they relate to race and schooling. Her research centers on how issues of culture and race influence the educational trajectories of African American students and others in nondominant groups in urban school and community settings. Dr. Nasir has published extensively in premier research journals; and, and through her book Racialized Identities: Race and Achievement Among African American Youth, she has produced a portfolio of scholarly and empirical contributions that advance our understanding of learning and culture. Her unique line of research examines the microlevel processes of learning in local contexts, including diverse nonacademic settings where successful learning happens. She has applied those lessons to improve the practices of formal schooling and help make the conventional classroom more hospitable.
Gerard A. Postiglione, University of Hong Kong View Introductory Video Dr. Gerard A. Postiglione is recognized as one of the top American researchers studying issues of comparative higher education in China, Hong Kong, and East Asia. He is a pioneer among Western scholars in the field, and his fluency in Chinese has resulted in innovative primary research and fieldwork. He has brought sociological, policy, and comparative perspectives to important education issues in Asia, such as access to higher education, equity for minority groups, and the establishment of world-class research universities. He is one of the researchers most sought-after by international organizations concerned with educational reform in Asia and by major media outlets to inform the public on issues of globalization and higher education. Dr. Postiglione was honored by the Comparative and International Education Society with a Lifetime Contribution Award and Best Book Award for his contributions to the field.
Edward A. Silver, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor View Introductory Video Dr. Edward A. Silver is a pioneering scholar at the forefront of issues and inquiries in mathematics education. His scholarly interests include the study of mathematical problem solving and problem posing, the design and analysis of mathematics instruction, and innovative methods of assessing and reporting mathematics achievement. Dr Silver is widely known for his work as the director of the QUASAR project, a groundbreaking study that bridged research and practice by supporting and examining the improvement of mathematics instruction in urban middle schools. He served as a Principal Investigator for the Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics, funded by the National Science Foundation; has been editor of several journals, including the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education; and has served on the National Research Council’s Mathematical Sciences Education Board.
Maisha T. Winn, University of Wisconsin, Madison View Introductory Video Dr. Maisha T. Winn’s innovative scholarship on literacy and teacher education has advanced our understanding of literate identities for students often underserved by traditional school settings. Her interdisciplinary scholarship, combining fields of literacy, ethno-history, and qualitative inquiry, has explored literacy development in formal and informal settings for African American and Latino youth. Dr. Winn has researched current theories of creativity and learning through the arts, as well as chronicling historical Black literary movements. She introduced the term “Participatory Literacy Communities” to describe literacy-centered events outside of school that combine spoken and written traditions and performance. She also addresses areas of urban and teacher education for positive social change, including work in juvenile detention environments. Her prolific and influential publishing career includes six widely read and well-regarded books.
Rebecca Zwick, ETS View Introductory Video Dr. Rebecca Zwick is a distinguished scholar of education statistics and issues of fairness and bias in scholastic measurement. Her recent publications explore the effects of socioeconomic status on the predictive validity of SAT scores and high school grades. Dr. Zwick has been an important contributor to the literature on differential item functioning, including examining empirical approaches for detection and for avoiding misleading results. With funding from the National Science Foundation, she developed a series of instructional modules in educational measurement and statistics designed for school personnel. She has also been at the forefront of incorporating emerging technology into the measurement process. Her scholarship and publications have made fundamental contributions to measurement theory and tackled complex and controversial public policy issues in clear ways to make them accessible to nontechnical audiences.